1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to computers and input devices, and more specifically to a portable computer system having an ergonomic input device.
2. Description of the Invention Background
The convergence of a variety of technologies is preparing the next paradigm shift in information processing for the 1990s. Continued advances in semiconductor technology are producing high performance microprocessors requiring less power and less space. Decades of research in computer science have provided the technology for hands-off computing using speech and gesturing for input. Miniature heads-up displays weighing less than a few ounces combined with mobile communication technology make it possible for users to access information anywhere. It is even possible to sense a user's position such that the information can be superimposed upon the user's workspace.
Currently, wearable and other types of portable computers are all hampered by the need for the user to be able to input information or commands in an ergonomic and convenient manner. The use of a full size keyboard cancels many of the benefits gained by having a small portable or wearable computer. The provision of a keyboard also assumes that the user of the computer, perhaps a maintenance worker, will be capable of using the keyboard in an efficient manner. A mouse input device overcomes the problems associated with a keyboard, but the use of a mouse becomes impractical in confined areas where there is no flat surface on which to operate the device. Track balls alleviate that problem, but many people find such devices difficult to operate. Furthermore, the delicate mechanism of a track ball would quickly become inoperative in a manufacturing or maintenance environment where workers' hands are often heavily soiled. Voice input is hampered by the difficulties inherent in enabling computers to understand the spoken word. Thus the need exists for a rugged, ergonomic, inexpensive, input device that can be used with a portable computer system to allow the full benefits of the portable computer system to be realized.